Warriors top Jazz, 112-107, with late multi-faceted comeback
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT PhilBoxing.com Thu, 29 Dec 2022
It took about 2 hour’s notice and about an hour's drive from Santa Cruz to Chase Center for Patrick Baldwin, Jr., PBJ for short, to make a splash in Golden State’s unlikely, 112-107, win over the Jazz on Wednesday night.
Wait, who, what?
Steve Kerr placed the call to get rookie Baldwin to fortify the back-ups and the Warriors front line devoid of Andrew Wiggins (adductor strain), Steph Curry (left shoulder partial separation), and Klay Thompson (health and safety protocol).
It is just what the doctor ordered, as the entire Warriors team coalesced and unveiled an unfamiliar squad that befuddled the rising Jordan Clarkson, who is having an All-Star-like season, and the dangerous Jazz team.
Patrick Baldwin Jr. may have only contributed 11 points, including 3 treys in 13 minutes off the bench, but his impact was felt by the Jazz. Not bad for a player who practiced earlier in the day with the G League Santa Cruz Warriors, ate two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches en route to Chase Center, arriving just an hour before tip-off.
Jordan Poole led the charge with 26 points, followed by Donté DiVincenzo with 19. Not to be outdone, the entire team poured in their support in an all-around effort from Ty Jerome (17 points, 7 rebounds), Anthony Lamb (10 points, 4 rebounds), James Wiseman (4 points, 4 rebounds), Moses Moody (4 points) and Jonathan Kuminga (9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) boosting Poole, DiVincenzo, Green and Looney.
Draymond Green may have been anemic in output with his 6 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, but he was instrumental in sealing the win with 3 crucial blocks late in the fourth quarter.
As a team, Golden State made 37-of-87 baskets (42.5% FG) and 26-of-35 treys (35.6% 3-PT), had more steals (6 to 3), far more fast break points (23 to 2), and were more efficient on the foul line 82.5% to 69.2% on free throws. Every Warriors player scored tonight. Their largest lead was 6 and was enough to seal the win.
Steph Curry was the de facto cheerleader from the sidelines egging on the next generation Warriors to ball like it was the playoffs.
The formidable Jazz team is 7-13 on the road, 5-9 vs. the Western Conference, but tonight they lost their 12-point lead to a depleted team despite a good showing by their starters. They blew a second-half lead for the second straight game similar to their previous late collapse and 126-123 loss to San Antonio on Monday night.
Lauri Markkanen dropped 29 points, including seven 3-pointers and a season-best 16 rebounds for the Jazz. Markkanen was hot from long and short range, making 10-of-20 baskets.
Jordan Clarkson added 22 points with a 3 -pointer with 1:37 left to make it a one-point game before Poole and company closed the show.
J. Vanderbilt scored 20, K. Olynyk 9, M. Conley 5, as starters. Off the bench, C. Sexton led with 11, followed by M. Beasley 7, W. Kessler and N. Alexander 6 each, and R. Gay 2 points.
As a team, Utah was competitive making 37-of-91 baskets and 15-of-46 treys (33.6% 3-PT). They led by as much as 12 points that was slowly, but surely erased by the Warriors young guns.
The last time these two teams met on December 7, Clarkson and company burgled a win in the last 20 seconds of their game in Utah, handing Golden State their wildest and roughest loss this season, 124-123. In the waning moments of that electrifying game, Jordan Clarkson- the heart and soul of the Jazz- almost started a melee with a hard foul on Jonathan Kuminga.
Golden State has the league’s best home record at 15-2, and hope to continue their impeccable record when playing at Chase Center against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.
Upcoming:
Golden State Warriors: Host Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.
Utah Jazz: Visit Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Note of Appreciation:
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